Bernard Tomic’s father reportedly headbutted Bernard’s hitting coach, broke his nose and knocked him out

John Tomic, the father of tennis star Bernard Tomic, has a reputation for having a bad temper. He may have taken it to the next level if the allegations surrounding his recent arrest are true.

John, who is Bernard’s coach, was reportedly arrested for assaulting a member of Bernard’s team during a recent practice session in Europe. According to Matt Cronin of Tennisreporters.net, Tomic headbutted the man — believed to be Bernard’s hitting partner Thomas Drouet — which knocked him out cold for 20 seconds and left him with a broken nose.

John is reportedly set to appear in court in Madrid on Monday to face the charges brought against him. Todd Woodbridge, the head of men’s tennis for Tennis Australia, said the details are still being sorted out but that any reports about Bernard facing a possible suspension are inaccurate.

“It’s totally incorrect because this would have nothing to do with Bernard’s behavior,” Woodbridge told 3AW radio, via The Age. “What’s important for us at Tennis Australia is that this allegation is thrown toward John, his dad, and not to Bernard.”

About a year ago, Bernard asked to have his father removed from a match because he was being “annoying.” It’s obvious John has a tremendous amount of passion for his son’s tennis career, but physically assaulting another member of his team would be unacceptable. If the allegations are true, Tennis Australia should make sure John faces a long, if not permanent, ban from the sport.